After a memorable and very busy two days for Amit’s 50th birthday celebrations, it was travel back to Delhi.

I could feel the exhaustion of the trip and yesterday’s long run.

I woke up after short sleep to ride with the folks who had chosen the hot air balloon morning ride. After reaching the balloon point and saying Hi to the young boy, I headed out for the long run back towards the hotel.

The weather was gorgeous, the Tuscany countryside was stunning. Rolling hills, farms, vineyards, simply picture perfect.

It was a tough run but how lucky was this, I thought to myself. When I made it back to the hotel, I was three kilometres short. I retraced for a bit and back again to round off a thirty kilometre run in wine, cheese and oil country.

As soon as I got to the hotel, I changed and headed out just before 1 PM. The weather was gorgeous and I ran on a gently rolling downhill which of course proved to be uphill while coming back.

But this way it was done and I earned a negroni afternoon.

These days have been imbued with work pressure.

It’s been nonstop and exhausting. I thought it might have been too ambitious to go and run but I did put the alarm anyway. I barely slept as my mind was racing with thoughts about work. I didn’t run and one of the rare times that in fact I didn’t regret it.

When the young boy and I reached the track, the sky was already turning colours although it was still quite early.

Spring-Summer had arrived. But it was a touch cold. At least for us. The young boy was shivering while warming up. Then he took off for his stair and sprint training while I carried on for a solo easy run around the track in my usual place – lane nine.

On the way back we continued our game to play a song for each letter of the alphabet. Levity and a bit of repose comes in capillaries these days.

For running it was rest. For the rest, it’s been mad.

Almost as soon as I parked, I met Shikha, and it was off to a flying start as she had already run fourteen kilometres. We ran silently, all the different loops and combinations of the Shanti Path area.

Then Ravi joined us or rather we joined him as he ran in his loping style trying to keep a slower pace. Young Ravi can manage an under 75 minute half marathon and is aiming for an under 70.

Contrasting with our until now silent run, he chatted nearly non stop for the next half hour until Shikha was done with her long run. Ravi continued along with me and then I was done with my Sunday 30.

I couldn’t be more grateful for the company.

I slept very late again after landing back into Delhi. Woke up and it was straight off to work.

After a very late night, I jumped on the treadmill for a short and slightly woozy run.

Hopefully all the walking around the airport later counted as something.